Fix This Next

Make the Vital Change That Will Level Up Your Business

by Mike Michalowicz

About the Book

"Fix This Next" (2020) offers a lifeline to business owners tangled in the mess of priorities by introducing a straightforward system to pinpoint and resolve their company's most pressing challenges. It cuts through the chaos of attempting to fix everything at once by showing how various parts of a business interlock. The centerpiece is the Business Hierarchy of Needs, a tool designed to help owners zero in on the next big issue to tackle for sustained growth and better profits.

About the Author

Mike Michalowicz is a seasoned entrepreneur, business guru, and the mind behind six influential books, including "Profit First," "Clockwork," "The Pumpkin Plan," and "The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur." Michalowicz doesn't just write; he hits the road, speaking at events and running workshops in university entrepreneurship programs, guiding business owners on the path to fine-tuning their operations.

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Pinpoint Your Number One Business Issue to Kickstart Progress

Running a business often feels like you're a firefighter, dousing flames left and right. You're calming down a disgruntled customer, juggling cash flow for payroll, and racing against time on client proposals.

It seems like you're perpetually stuck in emergency mode. The solution? A strategy to end the endless crisis management and guide your business towards steady growth.

Enter the Fix This Next method.

Mastering this technique means you can finally prioritize your challenges effectively. Imagine swapping the firefighter's helmet for the peace of mind that comes with a thriving business. The Fix This Next approach, broken down into four straightforward steps, is your ticket there.

Dive into these insights to discover:

• The unexpected business wisdom hidden in a paper jam;

• The secret sauce behind the success of a McDonald's franchise owner; and

• The surprising way postcards revamped a restaurant's vibe.

Strategic Moves Over Gut Reactions: A Game-Changer for Business Growth

Mike Michalowicz's story is a vivid illustration of the pitfalls of crisis management. Amidst a financial maelstrom, he found himself grappling with escalating sales that paradoxically, didn't translate into profits.

Burdened with a whopping $365,000 in personal debt and every credit line stretched thin, his daily reality was steeped in stress. To add insult to injury, his printer decided to jam at the worst possible moment.

In a fit of frustration, Michalowicz attacked the printer, pulling trays and flipping flaps, yet achieving nothing. It was a fruitless cycle of force without progress, mirroring his business struggles. It took a pause and a deep breath for him to shift tactics, leading him to a small, overlooked piece of paper that was the source of the jam. The solution had required a calm, methodical approach, not brute force.

This moment was a turning point for Michalowicz, compelling him to rethink his business strategy. His gut had convinced him that sales would dig him out of the financial hole, yet the persisting debt painted a different picture.

It dawned on him that sales weren't his Achilles' heel; profitability was. The path to financial recovery wasn't through more sales, but through better margins.

Michalowicz's epiphany sheds light on a common dilemma: many entrepreneurs have the funds, the tools, and the know-how yet still feel miles away from their goals. They're often blind to their most pressing business issue because they're too busy tackling everything at once. This scattergun approach is a gut-driven response, but it's hardly effective. It traps businesses in a cycle of perpetual survival mode, always busy but never progressing.

The Fix This Next method offers a lifeline out of this Survival Trap, promoting a structured approach to identifying and addressing business needs. By understanding and prioritizing these needs, you can navigate your business out of crisis mode and onto a trajectory of sustainable growth.

In our next discussion, we'll dive into the specifics of these business needs and how to strategically align your efforts for maximum impact.